South Korea Turns to Pig Poop for Electric Power

The plant is capable of burning about 20 tonnes of animal excrement a day generated by some 2,500 pigs to produce 30 kilowatts (kW) of electricity, which is enough to power about 100 households.

The energy ministry said it will cap any harmful emissions from the plant located southeast of Seoul that will serve as a model to generate power from the 51 million tonnes of animal waste produced in the country every year.

On a national level, South Korea could eventually create the energy equivalent of 360,000 tonnes of oil a year from using animal waste, the ministry said.

"We plan to build three more cogeneration power plants of this type this year, and maybe even up to 20 new facilities by 2008," said Choi Byoeng-dal, an energy ministry official.

European countries such as Denmark and Germany have been successful in generating power from farm animal excrement, the ministry said.